manipulate // enoch o'connor

11 // his part

  ENOCH FOUND OLIVE IN THE KITCHEN, HEATING WATER FOR TEA. Enoch cleared his throat, and it immediately caught her attention. "E-Enoch! What are you doing here?" Olive asked, putting her fireproof gloves back, and wiping her hands on the apron. 

"Emma and I spoke. She convinced me to talk to you." Enoch said, looking at Olive, "Nothing happened between Prescott and I. That's the truth, and that's what you wanted to know." 

Olive blinked twice, looking at him surprised and shocked, "Is this a dream?" 

"What do you mean?" Enoch asked, Olive shook her head. "Nothing! You're being nice to me, this is the first time.. In years. Since--"

"I think I know." Enoch looked away. There it is again. That fucking reason again. "Let's just.. Not mention that." He said, trying to calm himself, "There. We talked. I apologize for earlier. Are we settled here?"

"Y-yes! I'm sorry if she made you do this. I should've been used to this by now. I'm sorry too, Enoch. I just-- I love you so much..." Enoch's ears rung after that sentence. Love. Fucking love. What is that? How could you even love me? How? How can you even love someone? Someone like me? His mind erupted with these thoughts repeatedly. 

"I have to go." Enoch left Olive, ignoring her calls to his name and her offers of having tea together. Enoch closed his eyes. Love. How? What? What is that? Enoch placed his hands onto his ears. Make it stop. Make it stop. Make it st--

"OW!" Enoch had his eyes opened immediately, It was Clara, rubbing her hand onto her forehead, "Enoch! Watch it! Ugh, that hurts!" She complained. 

It stopped. "I'm sorry. Something's just making me think." Enoch offered a hand to help her, in which she accepted. Clara stood and brushed off the dust that her dress caught. "Something worth running into me, I hoped?" 

"No. Nothing like that." Focus, Enoch. Do what you need to do. "Do you remember that place you wanted to bring me? Let's go now. I've got nothing to do." 

"Sure! Let me just get better shoes." 

✧ ✧ ✧

  CLARA KNEW ENOCH WAS UP TO SOMETHING. She hasn't been in the loop for long, but she knew he was not his usual self. He's hiding something. Emma's right, he's suspicious of you. This is a trap. Listen to yourself. Ask him. He's going to get rid of you. She thought while walking down the stairs. Shut up. He said it himself. Don't believe what he says. He might be wrong. She tried to convince herself, Oh, is he now? Her conscience replied. 

"Look who's thinking now. Planning to run into me too?" Enoch mocked, "Let's go." Just like that? He's back to being a douche bag? The two of them walked outside the house, and while on their way, Clara heard; "Clara! Where are you off to?" 

Both of them turned around, it was Jake, panting as he caught up with the two. "Portman. I believe it's none of your business." Enoch said, before she could even answer him. 

"You're not Clara, are you, O'Connor? I was talking to her." Jacob told him and faced her, "Where is he taking you?" He asked her worriedly. She appreciated his concern, and couldn't help herself smile. Not because he is concerned, but because he believed everything she said.

"I'm actually the one taking him somewhere. Don't worry too much, Jake. I believe Enoch here wouldn't hurt me. He's a friend." Lies. Lying more and more. Don't you feel fucked up? Clara shook these thoughts away, "We'll be back before dinner. I promise!" Enoch isn't a friend. He'll kill you and collect your heart as a prize.

"Alright. Both of you should go ahead so you can get home as soon as possible." Jake said, "See you both later!" He ran back to the children's home. Enoch scoffed. "Portman thinks he's better than everyone. Piece of shit." She heard him mutter under his breath. 

If he knows, you're a dead girl walking, leave him out of it before he sniffs it out of you. "Hey! I heard that. Leave him be. He's just.. Being nice." Clara protested.

"And you think I can't do that?" Clara was surprised.

✧ ✧ ✧

   ENOCH WASN'T SURE IF HE WAS DOING THIS RIGHT. Before all of this, Emma and him were able to brainstorm a strategy to know all information about Clara. To know if she's hiding something or not. They were on the roof, before dawn. Emma couldn't sleep and woke him up to build up their strategy. 

"You have to pretend you like her." Emma blurted out. Enoch rubbed his eyes and yawned, "What the fuck are you on about, Emma?" 

"Enoch, listen. Having her vulnerability will be our biggest weapon. That's when she'll say everything, and that is, if she's hiding something." Emma told him, "I've been in love, Enoch. I know this. I know this would work, and we have to think twice as good as her. I know you haven't been in love but I'll walk you through it." Telling her about the stunt that Clara pulled off to her the last time might not have been the best idea. 

Enoch hesitated, "Prove it. Give me a fact, evidence. Anything." He told her. 

"I used to tell Abe everything. Because I love him and I trusted him. That's what we're trying to achieve. Her trust. That's her weak spot. Break that wall of hers, we'll be able to know everything. If she's as she says or if she's the opposite. Trust me on this one. Please. This is your part to play." 

Clara looked at him surprised, he flustered, "I-I, Look. Whatever you told him, I don't care. Just don't make me look as if I won't do the same for you." He huffed afterwards. 

"You have to show them you care. I know your first question, how the fuck is that? Well, when she seems under the weather, you join her. Ask her how she's doing. Invite her somewhere. Make her smile. A flower or anything you have,"

"A jar of heart then?" Enoch suggested, Emma smacked him. "OW!" 

"Wow, so you would?" Clara sniggered jokingly. "I would." He repeated himself. "Here, have my cardigan. It's cold out here." Enoch took off his cardigan and placed it on top of her shoulders.

"Thanks. I was getting cold. Perfect timing." Clara said. She pulled him closer to her and they ran for quite sometime. The harsh blows of the cold wind made Enoch shiver, but unusually, Clara's hand were enough to warm him up. "Here we are."

The two of them stood on top of a cliff. Clara let go of his hand and spread them wide. She turned to look at him, "Enoch. We're here! Anything you'd like to say?" 

"It's cold! We should get back." Enoch exclaimed. The wind blows were harsh enough to make the two of them to be unable to hear each other even if they were not too far from each other.

"Wrong answer!" Clara leaned to the air and slipped to the cliff. Enoch's eyes widened, he panicked  "Clara, NO!" He immediately ran to see if she was holding on to something. This felt nostalgic to him, as if it had happened again. No. Not again. Oh fuck, no. He remembered witnessing his best friend, Victor Bruntley, taking his last breath and passing away. He saw nothing.

"I got you again, didn't I?" Clara said from behind him. Enoch wanted to actually push her off the cliff this time. Enoch stood and turned to look at her. She grinned to him, but he gave her a dirty look. "You're fucked up! I actually thought you did it! Fucking bitch!" This is what you get for being nice now. That's why you weren't. Because once you show people you're nice, they know how to really fuck you up.

"You really know how to fuck up someone, don't you, Prescott?"